Ceramic burner unit for broilers



June 3, 1941. s. N. BOBO CERAMIC BURNER UNIT FOR BROILERS Filed Aug. 31.1939 0 0 6 000 0 O O O O O 0 O OOOOOOOOO .0000 000 o. o o,/o qvxo o o \mR 0 a m m E .0 m m P 6 km H Patented June 3, 1941 T OFFICE CERAMICBURNER UNIT FOR BROILERS Stephen N. Bobo, New York, N. Y., assignor toRobert P. Sniffen, New York, N. Y.

Application August 31, 1939, Serial No. 292,783

3. Claims.

My present invention relates to burners, and more particularly to animproved burner for food broiling devices.

In food broiling devices, it is essential for proper broiling that aneven heat over the entire surface of the food being broiled by heat beradiated from the broiler. This is essential in order that the foodbeing cooked shall be evenly broiled throughout.

In my present invention, I have devised a broiler in which the fuel of agaseous nature is evenly burned and is distributed over the entire faceof the broiler in such a way that an even heat is radiated from the faceof the broiler throughout practically its entire area. There are no coolspots and also there are no hot spots. The production of either coolspots or hot spots results in uneven radiation from the surface of theburner with consequent unevenness of pattern of the heat on the surfaceof food being broiled.

The broiler comprises essentially a metallic burner, through whichgaseous fuel is fed and burned, and a radiator of preferably ceramicincombustible material. The radiator is composed of a plurality ofindividual elements preferably symmetrically arranged about theperiphery of the metallic burner.

An important feature of my invention, therefore, is an improved radiatorfor broilers in which an even radiation of the heat from theincandescent surface is produced.

Another feature of my invention is an improved means for ventilating thebroiler to maintain the burner element thereof at a relatively lowtemperature.

A further feature of my invention is an improved broiler element inwhich the radiating surfaces contribute to produce an even pattern ofheat on the food being broiled.

Other features will appear as the description of the inventionprogresses.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating an embodiment of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an assembly of elements constituting aradiator and with one of the elements separated from the others;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View on an enlarged scale of one of the elementsillustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, Ill designates a broiler radiator composed ofelements II ara to form the radiator ranged in interlocking relationwith respect to each other to thereby define a substantially squareradiator I0.

Each of the elements II is substantially rectangular in form, and withone corner cut away on the curve I2 so that, when the elements I I areassembled to form a complete radiator Ill, there is produced by the cutaway corners I2 a substantially rectangular opening I3 through whichextends the metallic burner for supplying heat to the broiler. The topface of the elements II, or that face visible in Figure 1, lies in aplane as indicated by the reference numeral I4 (see Fig. 3). The body ofthe elements are of substantial thickness as indicated by the referencenumeral IS. The lower face of the body of the elements lies in a planeparallel to the plane in which lies the face I4, such plane beingdesignated by the reference numeral I 6 (see Fig. 3). Around two sidesof the elements II and on the sides remote from the cut away portion I2,the body I5 has formed integral therewith a depending apron I! ofsuitable length. The apron I1 thus extends around two sides of each ofthe elements I I, so that when the elements I I are assembled together I0, there is a skirt which extends all around the edge of the radiator.

One edge of the elements II, as the edge I8, is rabbeted on the uppersurface, as indicated by the reference numeral I9. The diagonally0pposite edge 26 is rabbeted on the lower face as indicated by thereference numeral 2I, for association with the rabbet I 9. Theinterengagement of the rabbets I9 and 2| tend to build of the separateunits I I a substantial radiator III, as shown in Figure 1.

Formed integral with the body I5 of the elements II and dependingdownwardly from the under face I6 thereof are radiating points 22.Preferably, for ease in manufacture, the radiating points 22 aresymmetrically spaced, as clearly shown in Figure 2. Further, theradiating points 22 gradually decrease in length as the cut away cornersI2 are approached. The body I 5 of the elements of perforations 23,there being practically as many perforations 23 as there are points 22.The perforations 23 are for the purpose of obtaining a sufficient flowof air through the elements II to maintain perfect combustion of thegaseous fuel.

Referring to Figure 2, it will be noted that the radiating points 22 andperforations 23 are symmetrically arranged in a zone or zones parallelto the depending apron I'I, thus leaving an an- II is provided With aplurality.

gular portion 24 of the under face N5 of the elements I I practicallyfree. Arranged on such angular portion 24 and formed integral with thebody l5 of the elements H are spaced members 25. Such members areutilized for positioning and spacing the metallic gas burner abovereferred to and not shown. Preferably, such metallic burners areprovided with spaced supporting means, one of such supporting meansbeing arranged to cooperate with one of the members 25. The spacebetween the supporting members of the metallic burner cooperates withthe space between the members 25 to provide a passage permitting thefree flow of air between the metallic burner and the burner elements ll,thereby insuring the metallic burner against overheating, with itsconsequent tendency to warp. A metallic burner of the type referred toherein is described and claimed in the co-pending application of HenryNunn Christmas, Serial No. 252,055, filed January 21, 1939.

As above stated, when the elements H are assembled together with therabbets l9 and 21 interengaging, there is formed a substantiallyrectangular radiator i0, depending on the shape of the burner elementsH, and with a substantially rectangular passage I3 therethrough, andthrough which may extend the entrance end or portion of the metallicburner to be associated therewith. The members 25 position the metallicburner element, and the gaseous fuel as it is fed through the metallicburner and, ignited, throws a flame in a plane substantiallyperpendicular to the axis thereof, or substantially parallel to theunder face is of the radiator H). The difference in height of theradiating points 22 from the center to the periphery of the radiatorpermits the flame to reach every radiating point 22, with the resultthat the radiating points 22 are evenly heated. Also, the angle of theplane in which lies the tops of the radiating points 22 insures that theheat will be radiated downwardly and toward the center of the radiatorit in such manner that there is no cold spot formed on the broilingsurface directly under the metallic burner. inspection of Fig. 5.

The material of which the burner units H is made is preferably a ceramicor equivalent material which has the faculty of becoming incandescentand radiating the heat therefrom without the danger of melting of thematerial. In other words, the material isfire-proof material.

The above will be apparent from an I Whereas I have described myinvention by reference to specific forms thereof, it will be understoodthat many changes and modifications may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an improved radiating unit for broilers, an element of incombustible ceramic material provided with a cut-away portion at one cornerthereof and with rabbets on adjacent sides and extending to the outerperiphery of the element, a skirt portion extending around the remainingtwo adjacent sides, the surface of the element enclosed by the dependingskirt having a plurality of radiating points and with the spaces betweenthe radiating points provided with perforations extending through thebody of the element.

2; In an improved radiating unit for broilers, an element provided witha cut-away portion at one corner thereof and with rabbets on adjacentsides and extending to the outer periphery of the element, a skirtportion extending around the remaining two adjacent sides, the surfaceof the element enclosed by the depending skirt having a plurality ofradiating points with the spaces between the radiating points providedwith perforations extending through the body of the element, and aplurality of burner spacing elements formed integral with the elementand on the same surface thereof as the radiating points.

3. An improved broiler radiating element, comprising a flat body ofinert incombustible material of a ceramic nature, said body having aplain upper face, said body having formed integral therewith andextending downwardly from the bottom face thereof and about two adjacentsides of the body depending skirts, said body having formed integraltherewith and on its under face a plurality of symmetrically arrangeddownwardly depending radiating points, the lengths of which increasegradually as the skirt portion is approached, to thereby have the tipsof the radiating points lying in a plane at an angle to the lower faceof the body, means formed integral with the body for positioning agaseous burner in predetermined position with relation thereto, andmeans for permitting the interengagement of a plurality of elements toform a symmetrical broiler unit from a plurality of such elements.

STEPHEN N. 3030.

